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American  Dramatists  Series 


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American  Dramatists  Series 

UNDER  THE 
EAGLE 

Three    Plays    with    a 
Prologue  and  Epilogue 

DOROTHY  POTTER 


BOSTON:  THE  GORHAM  PRESS 

TORONTO:      THE    COPP    CT^ARK   CO.,    LIMITED 


Copyright,  1916,  by  Dorothy  Potter 


All    Rights    Reserved 


The  Gorham  Press,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 

The   Prologue    7 

"Watchful   Waiting" 19 

Yellow   Yielding    35 

"Bombast   and    Platitudes" 53 

Epilogue     69 


372220 


THE  PROLOGUE 


Characters  : 

The  Statesman. 

The  Citizen. 
Place : 

The  Statesman's  office. 
Time: 

Present. 


UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

THE  PROLOGUE 

Scene:  The  STATESMAN'S  office,  handsome 
and  practical. 

At  Rise:  The  STATESMAN  sits  at  his  desk 
gazing  abstractedly  at  a  calling  card,  which  he  holds 
in  his  hand. 

( The  CITIZEN  enters — a  well-dressed,  business- 
like citizen. 

The  STATESMAN  turns  in  his  swivel  chair, 
notes  the  CITIZEN  and  rises  politely.) 
CITIZEN 
You  are  the  Statesman. 

STATESMAN 
(Smiling.)     Yes — if  you  like. 
{Referring  to  card.)  And  you  are — 

CITIZEN 
Never  mind  the  name.     I'm  a  citizen,  that's  all. 
If  you  must  qualify  me  further  call  me  the  Thinking 
Citizen.     I've  done  a  good  deal  of  it  lately. 
STATESMAN 
Will  you  sit  down? 

CITIZEN 
Thanks.     (He  sits.)     I'm  here  to  bore  you  for  as 
long  a  time  as  you  allow  it. 

STATESMAN 
(Pointedly.)     Just  at  present,  I  am  at  leisure. 

CITIZEN 
(Earnestly.)     Perhaps  you  can  put  me  right — 
that's  all  I'm  after — to  be  put  right.  I'm  not  partisan 
7 


8  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

or  fanatic  or  prejudiced  or  excited,  I'm  not  even  in 
an  argumentative  mood ;  I'm  worried  and  I  want  to 
be  convinced  that  I'm  wrong.  If  you  can  do  that, 
I'll  go  away  very  much — relieved. 
STATESMAN 
That's  part  of  my  business,  convincing  people. 
{Hastily,)  That  is,  convincing  them  that  what  I  do 
is  right. 

CITIZEN 
Yes,  yes. 

STATESMAN 
Of  course,  if  your  trouble  comes  from  some  situ- 
ation for  which  I  am  not  responsible — 
CITIZEN 
You  are  responsible — at  least,  partly  responsible, 
jointly  responsible. 

STATESMAN 
Oh,  well,  as  long  as  I'm  in  it,  you  may  come  to  me 
for  an  explanation. 

CITIZEN 
(Apologetically.)    I  couldn't  clearly  fix  the  blame 
on  any  one  person  or  set  of  persons.     A  lot  of  you 
seemed  culpable,  and  I  had  to  put  it  up  to  someone 
so  I  chose  you. 

STATESMAN 
Now  we  understand  each  other. 

CITIZEN 
I  said — culpable.  I  don't  mean  it,  I  don't  want  to 
mean  any  such  thing,  but  I  see  things  and  think 
them  over  and  I  can't  help  feeling  that  something  is 
wrong.  I  don't  want  anything  to  be  wrong.  I  want 
you  to  tell  me  there  isn't — to  prove  that  there  isn't.  I 
want  you  to  convince  me  that  I  am  a  fool. 


THE  PROLOGUE  9 

STATESMAN 
{With  involuntary  pride.)     I  have  done  just  that. 

CITIZEN 
I  feel  foolish  already. 

STATESMAN 
Now  what  is  your  trouble  ? 

CITIZEN 
It's  about  ourselves,  our  big  family  here  that  we 
call  the  United  States,  and  its  relations  with  the  oth- 
er families  on  this  earth. 

STATESMAN 
That  is  a  big  question. 

CITIZEN 
Yes. 

STATESMAN 
That  is  a  complex  question. 

CITIZEN 
{Wearily.)      I  know. 

STATESMAN 
Just  what  phase  of  our  international  relations  do 
you  wish  to  discuss? 

CITIZEN 
I  don't  want  to  talk  at  all. 

STATESMAN 
What  phase  do  you  wish  me  to  discuss  ? 

CITIZEN 
Don't  put  it  that  way  or  we'll  never  get  along.    I 
don't  think  about  "phases"  and  "international  rela- 
tions" ;  I  think  of  us  as  one  big  family  and  of  all  the 
rest  as  other  big  families. 

STATESMAN 
{Humoring  him.)     Very  well,  we'll  deal  in  fam- 
ilies. 


10  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

CITIZEN 
{Apologetically.)      You  see,   I  want  to  be  con- 
vinced on  my  own  ground.    I'm  thinking  in  families, 
and  unless  you  convince  in  families,  we  shan't  come 
out  even. 

STATESMAN 
Well,  what  about  our  big  family? 

CITIZEN 
{Seriously.)      Many   of   our   children   have   left 
home  and  gone  out  to  seek  their  fortune.     Some  of 
them  have  gone  to  our  next-door  neighbor  on  the 
south. 

STATESMAN 
{Striking  his  level  again.)     Mexico.     You  want 
to  take  up  the  Mexican  situation. 
CITIZEN 
{Distressed.)      No,  no;  I  don't!    I  don't  know 
anything  about  it.      {Sadly.)      If  you  go  on  that 
way  you'll  prove  your  point — I  can't  argue  about  sit- 
uations and  phases  and  policies — but  you  won't  con- 
vince me.     I'll  still  think  what  I  think  now,  because 
I  know  those  things  about — about  our  children. 
STATESMAN 
You  must  be  thinking  of  the  pillaging  and  murder 
and  so-forth  that  the  Mexicans  have  done  to  our 
people. 

CITIZEN 
Yes;  I  am.     {In  surprise.)     You — you  think  of 
that,  too? 

STATESMAN 
Certainly. 

CITIZEN 
{In  dread.)     You  believe  it.     You  know!  You 
admit ! 


THE  PROLOGUE  ii 

STATESMAN 

I  couldn't  deny  it  very  well ;  it  is  an  incontestable 
fact. 

CITIZEN 
{Dismally.)     Then  I  am  not  wrong?    {His  face 
brightening.)     But  there  is  a  good  reason  for  such 
things. 

STATESMAN 
There  is  a  reason — the  Mexicans  pillage  us  be- 
cause they  want  our  property;  they  kill  us  because 
they  hate  us. 

CITIZEN 
Why — ^why  do  we  allow  it?  Tell  me  that. 

STATESMAN 
Now  you  are  getting  into  the  complications. 

CITIZEN 
Why?  Why  should  there  be  complications?   It  is 
simple  enough.     A  stranger  goes  about  robbing  and 
m.urdering  my  children.     What  should  I  do — a  big 
strong  man? 

STATESMAN 
Stop  the  crimes ;  punish  the  criminal. 

CITIZEN 
Yes ;  that  is  what  I  think.  Why  don't  we  do  it  ? 

STATESMAN 
{Explaining  carefully.)      With    national    action, 
you  have  a  question  of  policy.     It  is  not  our  policy 
to  interfere. 

CITIZEN 
Even   to  stop   the  crimes   against  our  children? 
What  is  a  nation  but  the  family  magnified?  What  is 
its  policy  but  the  attitude  of  a  mother  toward  her 
children  ? 


12  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

STATESMAN 

That's  what  it  is. 

CITIZEN 
Why  are  we  not  fair  to  our  children  ? 

STATESMAN 

We  are  as  fair  as  possible  under  the  circumstances. 

CITIZEN 
Tell  me.    I  want  to  be  convinced. 

STATESMAN 
You  tell  me.    Would  it  be  wise  and  just  to  jeop- 
ardize the  interests  and  lives  of  all  for  the  interests 
and  lives  of  a  few  ? 

CITIZEN 
I  should  think  it  would  be  most  unjust. 

STATESMAN 
There  you  have  it. 

CITIZEN 
Then  that  is  why  we  do  not  interfere  ? 

STATESMAN 

That  is  why. 

CITIZEN 
{Happily.)     You  have  given  me  a  good  reason 
there.     I  can  see!     I  can  see!    {His  face  suddenly 
clouding.)  But  why  should  our  interference  jeopar- 
dize so  many? 

STATESMAN 
Interference  would  mean  war. 
CITIZEN 
Of  course,  and  we  mustn't  have  war.     (  Thought- 
fully.)     If  we  don't,   though,   these  crimes  go  on 
and  on.     Still,  as  you  say,  it  is  better  to  jeopardize 
few  than  many.      {Suddenly.)      Why  doesn't  our 


THE  PROLOGUE  13 

next-door  neighbor  give  the  other  nations  the  same 
trouble  ? 

STATESMAN 
He  is  afraid  of  the  other  nations. 

CITIZEN 
Isn't  he  afraid  of  us? 

STATESMAN 
No. 

CITIZEN 
We  are  just  as  big  as  the  others. 

STATESMAN 
But  not  so  strong. 

CITIZEN 
And  our  neighbor  knows  that,   and  because  he 
knows  it  he  dares  to  murder  our  children? 
STATESMAN 
Yes 

CITIZEN 
But  if  we  were  strong  like  the  other  nations,  and 
our  neighbor  knew  it,  he  would  not  dare  to  trifle 
with  us,  our  children  would  not  suffer  and  we  should 
not  even  have  to  consider  going  to  war. 
STATESMAN 
That  is  true. 

CITIZEN 
(In  fear.)  Then  there  is  something  wrong — there 
must  be!    (Catching-  himself.)      I  forget!    (Apolo- 
getically.)    I'm  thinking  now  that  it  is  our  lack  of 
strength  that  is  responsible  for  all  this  trouble,  that 
we  are  really  to  blame.    Tell  me  that  I  am  wrong. 
STATESMAN 
I  can't  do  that. 

CITIZEN 
(Pleadingly.)     I  want  to  be  convinced. 


14  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

STATESMAN 

But  you  are  right  this  time.     It  is  our  lack  of 
strength  that  is  responsible  for  all  this  trouble. 
CITIZEN 
{Reluctantly.)     Then  there  is  something  wrong 
after  all ;  someone  is  culpable.     You  can't  put  me 
right. 

STATESMAN 
I  can't  argue  away  an  incontestable  fact. 

CITIZEN 
If  we  had  a  larger  army — 

STATESMAN 
If  we  had  a  large,  efficient  army — Go  on. 

CITIZEN 
Our  army  is  quite  inadequate? 
STATESMAN 
Quite.     It  is  not  large  enough  to  win  either  fear 
or  respect.    They  have  dared  much  with  us. 
CITIZEN 
{In  a  strangely   quiet  voice,  as  one  speaks   of  a 
nightmare  that  has  become  reality.)     Is  it  true  that 
we  have  given  up  things  that  no  one  would  have 
dared  to  ask  for  if  we  had  been  strong  ? 
STATESMAN 
Yes;  that  is  true. 

CITIZEN 
{With  lowered  eyes.)      Is  it  true  that  we  must 
yield  before  we  are  asked  to  yield,  to  save  our  honor? 
STATESMAN 
Yes 

CITIZEN 
Is  it  true  that  others  have  not  attacked  us,  sim- 
ply because  they  have  not  been  ready  ? 


THE  PROLOGUE  15 

STATESMAN 

Undoubtedly  true;  we  present  no  bulwark  against 
them. 

CITIZEN 
{Very  softly.)     And  if  some  day  one  of  these  na- 
tions should  find  itself  ready,  desirous  of  our  land 
and  treasure,  would  it  be  comparatively  easy — ?  Is 
that  also  incontestable? 

STATESMAN 
Incontestable. 

CITIZEN 
{Hopelessly.)     Then  I  am  not  a  fool! 

STATESMAN 
No — unless  I,  too,  am  one.     I  have  agreed  with 
you  from  the  first,  my  friend. 

CVRTAIN 


"WATCHFUL  WAITING" 

Characters  : 

The  General. 

First  Orderly. 

Second  Orderly. 

An  American  Woman. 
Place : 

Headquarters  of  the  General  in  a  town  of  North- 
ern Mexico. 
Time  : 

Present. 


"WATCHFUL  WAITING" 

Scene:  Rough  room  with  doors  R.  and  L.  Win- 
dow at  back.     Table  C.  Chairs.    It  is  early  morning. 

At  Rise:  FIRST  Orderly,  a  dirty  Mexican  sol- 
dier, dozes  in  a  chair,  his  rifle  beside  him. 

{Enter,  left,  SECOND  ORDERLY,  a  dirty 
Mexican  soldier.) 

SECOND  ORDERLY 

Jeh!  Jeh! 

(FIRST  ORDERLY  wakes  with  a  start  and  a 
look  behind  him.  Seeing  SECOND  ORDERLY, 
he  growls. ) 

SECOND  ORDERLY 

El  general — la  senora. 

FIRST  ORDERLY 

Si,  si !  (He  picks  up  his  rifle  and  goes  out  slowly, 
right.) 

SECOND  ORDERLY 

{Holding  open  door,  left.)     Entre  usted,  senora. 

{An  AMERICAN  WOMAN  enters.  She  is 
fair,  young  pretty  and  dressed  in  a  white  linen  riding 
habit.  SECOND  ORDERLY  goes  out,  left,  clos- 
ing door.  The  WOMAN  stands  waiting,  swinging 
a  riding  crop  impatiently.  She  is  evidently  angry.) 
FIRST  ORDERLY 

{Re-entering  and  holding  open  door  for  someone 
outside.)     La  Norte- Americana. 

( The  GENERAL  enters.   He  is  a  typical  Mexi- 
can— dark,  with  a  heavy  black  mustache.   He  wears 
a  uniform  and  a  large  sombrero.   FIRST  ORDER- 
19 


20  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

LY  closes  door  and  takes  post  against  it^  where  he 
soon  dozes.) 

GENERAL 
{His  hat  in  his  hand,  bowing  and  smiling.)  Ah, 
senorita  6  senora — ? 

WOMAN 
(Curtly.)     Speak  English.     I  am  in  a  hurry  and 
I  want  to  be  sure  that  we  understand  each  other. 
GENERAL 
(Bowing.)     With  pleasure,  sefiora. 
WOMAN 
»    Don't  you  know  who  I  am  ? 
GENERAL 
(Apologetically.)     I  regret — 
WOMAN 
I   am   Mrs.   Welford —    (Emphatically.)      Mrs. 
James  Welford. 

GENERAL 
(Politely.)  Ah?  The  name,  senora,  is  not  fami- 
liar. 

WOMAN 
Mr.  Welford  is  secretary  of  the  United  Mines 
Company.     He  is  in  sole  charge  of  the  property  here 
since  operations  have  been  stopped. 
GENERAL 
(Graciously.)     And  the  senora  is  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Welford  ? — charming ! 

WOMAN 
(Looking  at  him  steadily.)   My  husband  was  ar- 
rested last  night  by  your  men. 
GENERAL 
(In  horrified  surprise.)    Senora!  but  not  by  my 
orders — !  How  can  I — ! 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  21 

WOMAN 

Of  course  not.  But  that  is  not  the  point.  With 
the  country  in  its  present  condition,  mistakes  and 
irregularities  are  often  unavoidable.  No  one  under- 
stands that  better  than  I,  but  this — this  arrest  is  too 
much. 

GENERAL 
I  agree  with  the  senora. 

WOMAN 
I  have  come  here  this  morning  to  gain  your  assur- 
ance that  such  a  piece  of  impudence  vi^ill  not  occur 
again.     Really,  an  apology,  either  by  the  officer  in 
charge  of  the  squad  or  by  you,  is  due  Mr.  Welford. 
GENERAL 
Mr.  Welford  does  not  ask  it  himself? 

WOMAN 
(Angrily.)     Mr.  Welford  is  still  in  the  custody 
of  those  pirates,  I  suppose. 

GENERAL 
(Horrified.)     Ah! 

WOMAN 
(Her  voice  rising.)     And  you'd  better  not  keep 
him  there  any  longer. 

GENERAL 
(Grieved  but  helpless.)     How  could  I — ? 

WOMAN 
Just  send  for  him  and  you'll  have  a  good  chance 
to  hear  his  opinion  of  the  affair.  Atrocious!  (She 
turns  away  with  an  angry  toss  of  her  head.  The 
GENERAL  wrings  his  hands.  Turning  back  to 
him.)  Well?  I'm  sure  any  delay  in  making  amends 
will  not  make  that  opinion  any  pleasanter  to  listen 
to. 


22  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

GENERAL 
{Meekly.)     Very  true,  of  course. 

WOMAN 
Then  don't  delay. 

GENERAL 
But  I  would  first  make  explanation  of  the — the  of- 
fense.    Unpardonable!  but — my  own  difficulties — 
WOMAN 
{Bored.)    Yes;  I'll  listen  to  you  while  Mr.  Wel- 
ford  is  on  his  way  over.     Get  your  man  off  first. 
{He  gives  her  a  sidelong  glance,  then  turns  to  the 
ORDERLY.) 

GENERA  L 
Jeh!    {FIRST  ORDERLY  wakens  with  a  start 
and   a   look    behind.)      Tengan    prisa!    {The   two 
stand    watching  while   the    FIRST    ORDERLY 
opens  the  door,  right,  and  repeats  "Tengan  prisa/' 
He  then  closes  the  door  and  settles  back  to  sleep.) 
WOMAN 
Now  I'll  hear  what  you  have  to  say. 

GENERAL 
{Humbly,  inclining  his  head.)     Gracias,  sefiora. 
{She  nods  briefly.)      Sefiora,   the  soldiers  are  not 
good.    There  is  no  discipline.    What  can  I  do  ? 
WOMAN 
I'm  sure  no  one  knows  if  you  don't.    You  are  the 
officer  in  command. 

GENERAL 
But  they  will  not  obey  me ;  they  do  as  they  please. 

WOMAN 
Yes;  because  you  all  do  as  you  please,  officers  as 
well  as  soldiers.  Discipline  must  begin  at  the  top  and 
extend  down  to  the  bottom.     With  you  it  has  not 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  23 

even  begun,  and  see  what  the  lack  of  it  has  done  to 
your  country.  Ruin  of  life,  ruin  of  property.  Mur- 
der, pillage,  burning,  looting.  It  is  hideous!  No 
man  is  safe  at  his  work  by  day  or  in  his  bed  at  night. 
And  not  content  with  destroying  you  fellow-coun- 
trymen, you  have  turned  upon  us  Americans.  We 
have  entered  your  barbarous  land  and  brought  money 
and  energy  and  progress.  We  have  brought  you  all 
you  have  to  be  proud  of,  and  for  that  you  owe  us 
vengeance.  For  our  money  you  rob  us ;  for  our  ener- 
gy you  throw  us  into  your  filthy  prisons ;  for  the  pro- 
gress we  have  made,  you  destroy  our  property  and 
ruin  our  enterprises.  What  do  you  expect  us  to 
think  of  you?  Bandits  you  are  and  bandits  we  call 
you.  Why,  as  I  came  here  this  morning,  your  sol- 
diers were  digging  a  grave  at  the  very  doorstep.  I 
suppose  it  will  shelter  some  hapless  victim  of  your 
lack  of  discipline. 

GENERAL 

The  senora  is  cruel;  she  does  not  understand. 

WOMAN, 

Humph ! 

GENERAL 

The  Americans  are  my  friends.  I  know  them  for 
my  great  friends  and  I  wish  them  no  harm.  It  is  not 
much  time  that  I  am  in  this  town,  but  I  have  seen 
the  sefior  and  the  setiora  riding  down  to  the  mine, 
the  senora  on  her  little  brown  horse,  all  dressed  in 
white,  riding  in  the  sunlight,  and  I  have — 
WOMAN. 

Then  you  did  know  me? 

GENERAL. 

Not  the  name,  sefiora. 


24  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

WOMAN. 

I  see.     {Impatiently.)     Well,  your  man  is  slow. 
The  commanding  officer  might  do  well  to  reprimand 
him.     {She  strolls  toward  the  window.) 
GENERAL. 
{Apologetically.)     The  prison  is  crowded.     It  is 
difficult  perhaps  to  find  the  pris — the  Sefior  Welford. 
WOMAN. 
{Glancing  out.)     So!  the  grave  is  finished. 

GENEilAL. 
And  the  officer  commanding  the  squad  ?   Will  the 
sefiora  describe  him? 

WOMAN. 
{Turning  from  the  window.)     The  man  who  ar- 
rested Mr.  Welford  ? 

GENERAL. 
Si,  sefiora. 

WOMAN. 
{Thoughtfully,  putting  her  crop   on  the  chair.) 
He  was  short — about  your  height. 
GENERAL. 
Ah! 

WOMAN. 
And  about  your  build.    His  face — I  did  not  notice 
especially   except — yes,    he    had    a   black    mustache, 
something  like  yours. 

GENERAL. 
Ah? 

WOMAN. 

I    really   cannot   describe   him   accurately.     You 

Mexicans  are  all  dark.     It  is  hard  for  me  to  tell 

one  from  another.     He  had  black  eyes  of  course. 

{Laughing  a  little.)     You  see,  I  am  hopeless.    This 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  25 

description  could  fit  you  as  well  as  that  pirate.  He 
was  very  rough  and  coarse  in  his  manner,  that  I  re- 
member well. 

GENERAL. 

And  the  arrest?  What  happened,  sefiora? 

WOMAN. 
It  was  about  midnight.     They  broke  in  the  door 
and  seized  Mr.  Welford  before  he  could  reach  his  re- 
volver.   There  were  six  of  them ;  this  officer  seemed 
to  be  in  command.    They  claimed  that  Mr.  Welford 
had  not  paid  taxes  to  the  new  town  government, 
which  is  perfectly  absurd,  of  course.     Mr.  Welford 
told  them  so  and  ordered  them  to  leave  the  house. 
They  refused  to  go.    They  seized  him  just  as  he  was 
and  dragged  him,  literally  dragged  him  away. 
GENERAL 
{Curiously.)     The  seiiora  was  afraid? 

WOMAN 
There  was  nothing  to  be  afraid  of.     I  was  angry. 

GENERAL. 
The  senora  is  brave. 

WOMAN 
{Impatiently.)     That  is  not  the  point.     There  is 
no  necessity  for  bravery  or  cause  for  fear  except,  per- 
haps, on  the  part  of  the  commanding  officer  who  al- 
lowed such  an  outrage  to  be  committed. 
GENERAL. 
{Helplessly.)    Ah!  sefiora! 

WOMAN 
{Growing  angrier  as  she  proceeds.)     Really,  you 
know,  it  makes  me  furious ;  the  whole  affair  is  so  im- 
pudent, so  absurd,  so  unnecessary.    You  treat  us  as 


26  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

though  we  were  a  lot  of  your  dirty  peons  to  be 
dragged  about  and  clapt  into  prison.  And  here  we 
are  Americans,  citizens  of  the  United  States,  living 
here  under  our  own  flag,  under  the  American  Eagle, 
mind  you !  and  still  you  dare.  Oh,  you  don't  do  us 
any  real  harm,  of  course.  That  would  be  to  put  your 
head  into  the  lion's  mouth,  and  you  have  no  stomach 
for  that.  Oh,  no!  You  simply  rely  on  our  natural 
disregard  for  little  things  and  our  unwillingness  to 
bother  our  government,  and  so  rob  and  annoy  and 
insult  us  to  your  heart's  content.  Impudence!  It's 
time  we  put  a  stop  to  this  absurd  forbearance  on  our 
part.  Do  you  know,  I've  half  a  mind  to  leave  you 
this  minute  and  carry  this  affair  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States!  {She  goes  toward  the  door.) 
GENERAL 
Senora!  Stay,  I  beg!  Only  hear  me! 
WOMAN 

(Her  hand  on  the  door.)  No!  I've  had  enough. 
GENERAL 

All  I  ask  is  justice. 

WOMAN 

Justice!  Humph!  {But  she  pauses.) 
GENERAL 

First  I  ask  your  pardon,  I  beg  you  to  forgive  this 
— this  crime.  {She  is  tapping  the  floor  with  her 
boot,  her  back  to  him.)  For  the  past,  I  can  do  no 
more ;  for  the  future,  I  make  great  effort,  believe  me. 
You  speak  of  the  condition  of  the  country.  Only  lis- 
ten. Our  people  here  are  not  like  Americans;  they 
are  barbarous  and  ignorant  and  poor.  They  are 
downtrodden  and  so  ignorant.  Then  comes  to  them 
the  vision  of  liberty.     {She  turns  to  him.)     It  is  the 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  27 

same  like  the  great  American  vision.  {She  takes  a 
step  toward  him.)  They  rise  up!  They  are  ignor- 
ant. They  are  mad  with  the  dream  of  liberty  and 
the  taste  of  power.  They  will  not  be  controlled; 
they  are  just  free  after  so  long  and'  they  seek  only 
vengeance. 

WOMAN 
(She  is  back  by  the  chair ^  interested.)     Yes;  but 
they  will  accomplish  nothing  that  way.    The  move- 
ment must  be  organized  and  directed  to  a  certain 
point.    They  must  have  a  leader. 
GENERAL 
(Sadly.)  They  have  a  leader,  but  he  is  not  obeyed. 

WOMAN 
You  must  teach  them. 

GENERAL 
If  it  were  possible.  But  see,  sefiora,  what  a  trag- 
edy! (Striking  his  breast.)  If  this  leader  loves  his 
country,  if  he  has  lived  always,  hoping  to  bring  his 
people  out  of  the  dark  of  slavery  into  great  freedom. 
If,  at  last,  the  great  uprising  comes — Ah,  but  the 
people  do  not  understand!  They  will  not  be  led. 
They  will  not  obey.  The  leader  is  called  a  bandit. 
The  great  revolution  must  fail.  Senora,  it  is  hard ! 
WOMAN 
Of  course  it  is,  but  not  impossible.  You  haven't 
gone  about  it  right,  that's  all.  Why  don't  you  edu- 
cate the  people  ?  Explain  the  situation  to  them.  Tell 
them  that  they  can  do  nothing  without  organization, 
but  that  if  they  will  unite  and  obey  their  leader  ab- 
solutely, they  shall  win  freedom.  Stir  them  up!  In- 
spire them !  Keep  the  idea  of  freedom  in  their  minds 


28  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

so  that  to  gain  it  they  will  yield  to  the  discipline. 
Then  discipline  them  and  you'll  win  out. 
GENERAL 
{Confidentially.)      Sefiora,  I  have  already  begun 
to  try  the  discipline. 

WOMAN 
Good!  How  did  it  work  out?    {She  sits  down,  in- 
terested. ) 

GENERAL 
Alas !  the  man  refused  to  obey.     He  must  die  this 
morning. 

WOMAN 
{Seriously,)     Oh!    {Earnestly.)     Well,  you  see  it 
is  the  first  time  you  have  tried.     You  can't  expect 
them  to  understand  at  once.     It  is  a  pity,  but  a  few 
examples  are  necessary  at  first. 

GENERAL 
It  is  for  this  man  that  the  soldiers  have  dug  the 
grave. 

WOMAN 
Oh,  I  see. 

GENERAL 

He  was  very  independent,  this  man ;  he  did  always 

as  he  pleased.     I  am  the  officer  in  command  here. 

Have  I  not  a  right  to  demand  obedience? 

WOMAN 

Certainly,  from  everyone  under  your  authority. 

GENERAL 
But  I  am  supreme. 

WOMAN 
Then  you  should  accomplish  great  things. 

GENERAL 
I  ordered  certain  war  taxes  to  be  paid.     It  was  a 
necessity.     He  refused  to  pay. 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  29 

WOMAN 

Perhaps  he  thought  that,  being  a  soldier,  he  was 
exempt.    Did  you  have  it  explained  to  him  ? 
GENERAL 
I  explained  to  him  myself  that  no  one  was  exempt. 
He  refused  to  pay. 

WOMAN 
Perhaps  he  had  no  money. 

GENERAL 
He  has  much,  very  much.    He  came  to  me  here  in 
this  room.    He  swore  he  would  never  pay.    I  was  not 
hard.     I  offered  that  he  give  me  something  else  in- 
stead of  money,  something  he  had  that  I  wanted.  He 
was  wild,  that  man.     He  insulted  me — me,  the  com- 
manding officer!    He  would  have  killed  me.     I  or- 
dered him  to  be  seized  and  shot. 
WOMAN 
It  is  a  pity  for  the  man,  but  you  will  find  it  easy 
to  collect  the  tax  now. 

GENERAL 
And  I  have  all  the  money  instead  of  just  a  part. 

WOMAN 
{Nodding.)     Confiscated,  of  course. 

GENERAL 
And  something  else  that  I  wanted  more  than  all 
his  money. 

WOMAN 
The  example  for  discipline. 

GENERAL 
Oh,  so  very  much  more,  sefiora. 

WOMAN 
I  hope  it  may  improve  the  rioting  dispositions  of 
the  rest.     {Looking  at  the  watch  on  her  wrist.)  They 


30  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

are  slow  about  Mr.  Welford.  I  am  sorry — for  them. 
{She  smiles.)  , 

GENERAL 
There  are  few  men  at  the  prison.     All  are  busy 
now  with  this  unfortunate —  (As  the  crack  of  rifles 
is  heard.)    Ah! 

WOMAN 
What?  The  execution? 

GENERAL 
They  are  through  now.    Now  they  will  bring  Mr. 
Welford  up. 

WOMAN 
I  hate  to  think  of  it — life  going  out  like  that, 
but — 

GENERAL 
{Sharply,  to  FIRST  ORDERLY.)     Parato! 
{The  GENERAL  stands  by  the  table  waiting, 
his  head  bent,  one  finger  tapping  the  table.     The 
FIRST  ORDERLY  rouses  himself  and  goes  yawn- 
ing across  to  door,  left. 

FIRST  ORDERLY 
{Opening  the  door  and  calling.)  Jeh!  Parato! 
{Enter  the  SECOND  ORDERLY.  He  stands 
just  inside  the  open  door.  The  FIRST  ORDERLY 
walks  slowly  back  to  door,  right,  and  opens  it.  The 
WOMAN  has  picked  up  her  crop  and  stands  swing- 
nig  it  against  the  chair  and  talking  as  the  orderlies 
move  about.) 

WOMAN 

{Smiling  brightly.)     Well,  I  came  here  to  be  very 

angry  and  vindictive,  and  after  all  I  shall  not  even 

let  Mr.  Welford  give  you  his  whole  opinion.     You 

see,   he  has  been  under  arrest  since  midnight  and 


WATCHFUL  WAITING  31 

will  not  be  in  a  very  forgiving  mood.  We  can't 
blame  him  either,  for  it  was  rather — unusual,  you 
know.    When  you  don't  see  the  other  side ! 

(  The  orderlies  have  reached  their  respective  doors. 
They  look  at  the  GENERAL,  vuhose  head  is  still 
bent,  as  he  listens  and  taps  the  table;  at  the  JVO- 
MAN,  swinging  her  crop  and  smiling;  then  at  each 
other  and  close  the  doors  simultaneously.) 
WOMAN 

{With  a  little  laugh.)  How  uncharitable  we  are 
sometimes  before  we  understand!  {She  becomes  con- 
scious of  the  closing  of  the  doors  and  glances  about.) 

{The  GENERAL  has  raised  his  eyes — just  his 
eyes,  beast's  eyes  above  bestial  lips. 

{The  finger  taps  cease',  the  riding  crop  stops 
szvinging. ) 

CURTAIN. 


YELLOW  YIELDING 


Characters  : 

A  Mother. 

Her  Son. 
Place : 

J  cabin  in  the  mountains. 
Time: 

Then,  now  and  to  come. 


YELLOW  YIELDING 

Scene:  The  interior  of  a  small  log  cabin.  A 
door  is  on  the  right.  At  back  are  two  windows  with 
a  stove  between  them.  Some  curtained  shelves  are 
built  against  the  wall,  left.  A  table  and  three  chairs 
occupy  the  center  of  the  room.  A  wooden  bench  with 
a  basin  and  pail  of  water  stands  against  the  wall, 
right.  Above  the  bench  hangs  a  roller  towel.  The 
luindows  are  fitted  with  short  curtains,  that  can  be 
drawn  across  them  and  serve  as  shades.  It  is  even- 
ing. 

At  Rise:  The  curtains  are  parted,  revealing  a 
landscape  of  trees  stripped  by  Autumn.  The 
MOTHER  is  getting  supper.  She  is  a  woman  in 
middle  life  with  the  energy  of  youth  in  her  bright 
eyes;  the  tenderness  of  age  in  her  pleasant  face.  She 
is  dressed  in  a  coarse  woole?i  dress  and  a  wide  ging- 
ham apron. 

(The  MOTHER  pauses  in  her  operations  from 
time  to  time  to  glance  out  the  window.  After  her 
last  survey  she  smiles  and  returns  to  the  stove,  hum- 
ming.) 

{Her  SON  enters,  a  powerfully  built  young  man 
with  a  clear,  frank  face.  He  wears  heavy  boots  and 
rough  clothing.  He  enters  slowly,  closes  the  door  and 
stands  with  his  hand  on  the  nob  and  his  face  avert- 
ed.) 

MOTHER 

{Stirring  the  victuals,  cheerily.)  You  are  late  to- 
night, son. 

35 


36  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

SON 

Mother,  I  saw  the  General  just  now. 

MOTHER 
He  is  well?   The  General  is  always  well.    Wash 
your  hands;  supper  will  soon  be  ready.     (SON  goes 
to  the  bench.) 

SON 
(Pouring  water  into  the  basin  from  the  pail.)     I 
met  him  on  the  Great  Road. 

MOTHER 
And  then  had  a  long  walk  back  across  the  fields. 
It  is  quite  dark  already;  winter  is  coming. 
SON 
(Looking  up  at  the  wall  in  front  of  him.)  Where 
is  the  gun? 

MOTHER 
The  gun!  Then  you  have  only  just  noticed.     I 
took  it  down  months  ago. 

SON 
(Fearfully.)   You — you  haven't  thrown  it  away? 

MOTHER 
Not  yet.     I  thought  I  should  ask  you  first — ^you 
might  have  some  sentiment,  since  it  was  your  father's 
— then  I  forgot  all  about  it. 
SON 
Where  is  it,  mother? 

MOTHER 
Let  me  see! — somewhere — behind   the  stove.     I 
think  I  dropped  it  there. 

SON 
(Hunting  behind  the  stove.)   I  can't  find  it.     It 
isn't  here. 

MOTHER 
Under  the  wood-box  perhaps. 


YELLOW  YIELDING  37 

SON 
Yes,  I  have  it.     {He  takes  a  rusty,  old-fashioned 
gun  from  behind  the  stove.) 

MOTHER 
What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it  ? 

SON 
I — just  clean  it  a  little. 

MOTHER 
Dirty  old  thing!  I'd  throw  it  away.     Sentiment 
for  useless  trash  is  rather  silly. 
SON 
{Looking  at  the  gun,  to  himself.)       I  know  so 
little   about   it.      {He  fingers  it,  trying  to   take  it 
apart. ) 

MOTHER 
In  these  days  we  don't  have  use  for  such  things. 

SON 
Mother,  why  do  they  call  him  the  General? 

MOTHER 
That  comes  from  the  old  days,  your  father's  day 
and  mine  and  his  father's,  when  this  country  was 
wild  and  rough.  The  gun  wasn't  hanging  on  the 
wall  then;  it  was  standing  in  the  corner  or  lying 
across  your  father's  knees.  Then  the  best  shot  was 
the  best  man.  Your  father  was  a  good  shot,  but  his 
father  was  better.  It  was  for  that  we  named  him, 
and  his  son  has  naturally  come  to  the  a  a 
him. 

SON 
The  General  is  a  good  shot.     {As  he  comprehends 
the  mechanism  of  the  gun.)     There! 
MOTHER 
So  they  say.     He  keeps  in  practice. 


38  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

SON 

I  don't  know  how  to  shoot  at  all. 

MOTHER 
How  should  you  know,  when  you've  never  been 
taught  ? 

SON 
Why  wasn't  I  taught?    My  father  was  a  good 
shot;  he  must  have  known. 

MOTHER 
He  did  know  that  it  would  never  be  necessary  for 
you  to  learn  any  such  thing.     These  are  different 
times  we're  living  in  now.     People  don't  shoot  and 
fight  and  plunder  each  other  any  more.    We  have  a 
new  ideal,  my  son — to  live  at  peace  with  the  world, 
each  man  in  his  own  place. 
SON 
You  believe  that,  mother? 

MOTHER 
And  you  believe  it,  too. 

SON 
What  does  the  General  believe? 

MOTHER 
The  same,  I  suppose. 

SON 
Then  why  does  he  practice  shooting? 

MOTHER 
For  amusement.    Bless  you,  my  son,  we  don't  care 
what  the  General  believes;  we  have  only  ourselves 
to  answer  for. 

SON 
But,  mother —  (His  face  hardens.) 

MOTHER 
Supper  is  ready,  and  you  must  be  hungry. 


YELLOW  YIELDING  ^g 

SON 

{Turning  away.)   Not  very,  just  now. 

MOTHER 
Why,  what  is  the  matter? 
SON 
Mother,  why  did  you  give  the  Great  Road  to  the 
General  ? 

MOTHER 
I?  He  told  you! 

SON 
Yes. 

MOTHER 
It  was  not  my  fault,  dear.     Your  father  prom- 
ised it  to  his  father,  and  I  was  in  honor  bound  to 
fulfill  that  promise. 

SON 
I  don't  see  why.  Father  built  the  road  with  his 
own  money  and  labor.  He  meant  that  the  General 
should  use  it,  but  not  without  pay.  Why  should 
my  father  have  labored  and  paid  for  the  General's 
comfort  and  profit? 

MOTHER 
Because  your  father — whatever  he  meant — gave 
the  General  to  understand  that  the  road  would  be 
his  without  pay.  It  was  so  the  General  under- 
stood the  promise.  We  cannot  cloud  your  father's 
memory  by  breaking  that  promise.  Honor  is  higher 
than  all  else. 

SON 
But  what  about  the  money?  I  must  pay  and  pay 
and  pay  that  the  General  may  profit.  I  made  no 
promise,  yet  my  patrimony  must  be  spent  to  satisfy 
the  General's  keen  sense  of  honor.  I  wonder  if  he 
calls  it  honorable  to  take  from  me  without  paying? 


40  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

MOTHER 

Sh !  You  are  excited !  It  is  not  the  General's  fault, 
but  your  father's.  He  should  have  had  a  clear  un- 
derstanding. As  for  the  money,  that  is  nothing.  You 
are  a  better  farmer  than  the  General;  you  have 
learned  to  plow  instead  of  to  shoot.  You  are  richer 
than  he.  The  trifle  it  will  take  to  keep  the  road  in 
repair  need  not  really  matter  to  you. 
SON 
What  about  the  principle? 

MOTHER 
It  is  a  good  principle — when  we  can  afford  it — to 
be  big  and  generous,  to  overlook  trifles  for  our  hon- 
or's sake. 

SON 
Very  well.      {In  a  hard  voice,)      The  General 
wants  the  South  Pasture. 

MOTHER 
What  do  you  mean? 

SON 
Just  that ! — the  General  wants  the  South  Pasture. 

MOTHER 
He  wants  the  South  Pasture  ?  Tell  him  we  do  not 
wish  to  sell. 

SON 
He  does  not  wish  to  buy. 

MOTHER 
Well—? 

SON 
You  have  given  him  the  Great  Road,  and  now  he 
wants  the  South  Pasture. 

MOTHER 
He  would  not  expect  us  to  give  him  our  land.   He 
is  playing  you  a  joke. 


YELLOW  YIELDING  41 

SON 

Mother,  It  is  not  a  joke. 

MOTHER 
Then  the  man  is  crazy.     People  don't  do  such 
things  in  this  day.     If  we  were  living  in  the  Stone 
Age    perhaps — barbarians!  But    now! — for  him    to 
suggest  such  a  thing!  What  can  he  be  thinking  of? 
SON 
That  we  have  land  and  he  has  none;  that  he  is 
strong  and  we  are  weak;  that  he  will  barter  his 
strength  for  our  land. 

MOTHER 
Fortunately,  Civilization  will  not  allow  it. 

SON 
Civilization!    What  is  it?    You  speak  as  though 
it  were  a  power  created  for  your  protection.     It  is 
not  a  power  and  it  does  not  belong  exclusively  to 
you.     It  is  a  result  that  he  has  helped  to  make  as 
well  as  you — he  with  his  practice  of  shooting.    He  is 
stronger  than  we;  the  law  is  his,  and  will  accord  him 
as  much  as  he  has  power  to  take. 
MOTHER 
The  South  Pasture! 

SON 
Yes.     I  suppose  we  can  live  even  then;  we  shall 
still  have  this  house  and  garden. 
MOTHER 
If  we  thought  of  accepting  his  insane  proposals, 
but  we  do  not. 

SON 
You  gave  him  the  Great  Road. 

MOTHER 
That  is  a  different  matter.    This  time  he  has  not 
the  shadow  of  a  claim ;  he  is  trying  to  see  how  far  he 


4i  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

can  go.    We'll  stop  him  right  here. 
SON 
(Slowly.)     Yes;  I  thought  that  was  the  right — 

MOTHER 
(Decidedly.)  It  is  the  only  thing  to  do.  (Son 
begins  to  clean  the  gun.)  What  can  the  man  ex- 
pect ?  Your  father's  property !  His  son's  inheritance ! 
And  'twas  hard  winning,  too!  Wild  beasts  and  wild 
men  to  be  subdued !  Elements  to  be  braved !  Bought 
with  sweat  and  blood,  with  labor  and  agony  in  the 
making.  Your  father  and  I  conquered  it  together 
for  our  son,  who  alone  has  the  right  to  the  product 
of  our  travail. 

SON 
Yes,  mother;  you  are  right. 

MOTHER 
Then  comes  this  upstart  to  demand  our  winnings, 
simply  because  he  is  a  strong  brute  with  desires.    He 
will  find  that  we,  who  have  braved  monsters  before 
are  not  afraid. 

SON 
No,  no!   (Nervously.)     Only — this  gun!  It  is  so 
rusty !   I  don't  think  it  will  shoot  at  all. 
MOTHER 
(Horrified.)     Shoot!  My  son,  I  do  not  mean  to  go 
as  far  as  that. 

SON 
It  is  the  General's  doing;  not  mine.    To-night  he 
comes  for  his  answer.     If  we  yield,  he  is  satisfied ;  if 
we  refuse  to  yield,  he  will  fight.    Where  is  the  am- 
munition ? 

MOTHER 
But  you  cannot  fight  with  the  General.  He  would 
kill  you  at  once. 


YELLOW  YIELDING  43 

SON 
Yes;  he  will  kill  me.      {J   knock  at  the  door.) 
That  is  he !  Quick !  The  ammunition ! 
MOTHER 
I  don't  know  where  it  is.     You  will  not  fight. 
Go!    Speak  to  him.    Give  me  the  gun.    {He  yields 
the   gun    reluctantly.)     Tell    him    how   we   stand. 
Appeal  to  his  reason  and  his  sense  of  justice.    Tell 
him  we  wish  to  be  friends. 
SON 
{Going.)     Then,  mother,  while  I  am  gone,  will 
you  find  the  ammunition  ? 

MOTHER 
Yes,  yes !  You  will  not  need  it.  Be  friendly  with 
him.  Compromise  if  necessary.  {The  SON  goes 
out,  closing  the  door.)  It  will  be  all  right.  There! 
I  must  find  the  ammunition.  {She  hunts.)  Where 
can  it  be?  There  will  be  no  need  of  it  anyway. 
{Looking  on  the  shelves.)  Here!  {Gathering  up  two 
cartridges.)  One — two  cartridges.  That  is  enough 
for  our  purpose.  {SON  re-enters.  He  is  very  pale.) 
Well? 

SON 
Have  you  found  it? 

MOTHER 
What—? 

SON 
It  is  no  use;  he  will  not  compromise.     We  must 
give  him  the  South  Pasture  or  fight.     Give  me  the 
ammunition. 

MOTHER 
{Slowly.)    No — I  can't  do  that.  {With  decision.) 
You  must  not  fight;  he  would  only  kill  you.     I'v^ 


44  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

been  thinking.     It  is  better  to  give  him  the  South 
Pasture. 

SON 
Mother !  is  that  right  ?  I  am  not  afraid ! 

MOTHER 
It  is  right. 

SON 
(Bitterly.)     He  will  have  the  South  Pasture.  My 
inheritance ! 

MOTHER 
Don't  keep  him  waiting.     It  will  not  do  to  exas- 
perate him. 

SON 
(Violently.)  He  is  a  thief! 

MOTHER 
(Putting    her    hand    over   his    mouth.)       Hush! 
Hush!    (She  holds  him  for  an  instant.  When  he  is 
calm  she  lets  him  go.)     Now  go. 
SON 
(In  a  low  voice.)     I  am  strong! —  stronger  than 
he  and  younger.    If  I  knew  how  to  shoot!  (He  turns 
away  with  a  hoarse  sound  like  a  sob  in  his  throat 
and  goes  out.) 

MOTHER 
(Nervously,  bustling  about  the  room.)  Of  course 
that  is  right.  It  is  the  only  thing  to  do.  He  would 
kill  my  son,  and  then  the  property  would  be  worth- 
less to  me.  (SON  re-enters  with  bowed  head  and 
sits  at  table.)  After  all,  we  have  more  than  we 
need.  We  must  not  be  greedy.  The  General  had 
not  so  much  as  we.  We  can  still  live  quite  cozily 
here  with  the  house  and  garden  left.  The  South 
Pasture  was  a  great  care,  too.    Now  we  can  have  a 


YELLOW  YIELDING  45 

little  rest  instead  of  always  working.  Besides,  I 
could  not  let  you  die.  Any  sacrifice  to  save  my  son. 
What  is  the  matter  ? 

SON 
Nothing. 

MOTHER 
What  did  the  General  say  ? 
SON 
He  laughed. 

MOTHER 
Let  him  laugh.    I  have  saved  my  son ;  I  know  that 
I  am  right.    What  do  I  care  for  his  laughing  ? 
SON 
He  said  something,  too. 

MOTHER 
Well,  what  did  he  say? 

SON 
He  called  you  a  coward ! 

MOTHER 
Pooh !  His  opinion  is  nothing  to  me.    He  is  an  old 
liar  anyway. 

SON 
(Deliberately.)     It  is  the  truth — ^you  are  a  cow- 
ard! 

MOTHER 
(Horrified.)    What!  You  are  not  my  son! 

SON 
But  I  am!  I  am  the  son  you  have  reared  and 
taught;  for  whom  you  have  striven  and  bled  and 
piled  up  a  vast  inheritance.  I  am  the  son  you  have 
deceived  and  tricked  and  made  into  a  helpless  crea- 
ture. You  gave  me  all  you  had;  you  taught  me  all 
you  knew — all  but  the  first  law,  the  law  of  life,  the 


.46  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

law  of  self-defense,  the  law  by  which  I  might  learn 
to  hold  my  heritage  in  the  face  of  the  strong  ones  of 
the  earth.  You  could  have  made  me  a  man  among 
men ;  you  have  left  me  a  child  among  giants.  If  my 
neighbor  is  good-natured  he  laughs  at  me ;  if  he  is  ill- 
natured,  he  beats  me.  Good  or  bad,  I  am  at  his 
mercy.  Where  is  the  honor  in  that?  What  is  strong 
or  noble  or  inspiring  in  such  pitiful  helplessness? 
MOTHER 

How  could  I  know  what  was  right?  We  did  what 
seemed  best.    The  country  was  no  longer  wild ;  the 
world  seemed  civilized.    There  was  only  one  man — 
SON 

That  one  man  makes  all  the  difiFerence.  Wild! 
Civilized!  Don't  you  know  that  a  country  is  wild 
as  long  as  it  holds  a  single  wild  man  ?  While  there 
is  one  man  prepared  to  kill,  all  must  be  so  prepared 
in  self-defense.  The  world  is  as  civilized  as  the  one 
most  barbarous  of  all  men. 

MOTHER 

We  did  not  think  of  that.    It  seemed  that  the  age 
of  peace  and  good-will  had  come. 
SON 

Yes!  You  built  up  a  dream  to  please  your  taste 
and  used  it  to  blind  yourselves  into  deceit  and  your 
child  into  a  death-trap. 

MOTHER 

If  I  have  been  wrong,  I  am  sorry.  I  acted  for  the 
best,  and  it  has  turned  out  the  worst.  There  is  noth- 
ing I  can  do  now.  But  listen  to  this:  Right  or 
wrong,  in  the  past,  in  the  present  I  am  right.  What 
does  anything  matter  when  life  is  at  stake?  It  was 
you  or  the  South  Pasture,  and  I  chose  you. 


YELLOW  YIELDING  47 

SON 

Because  you  are  a  coward!  You  are  afraid  to 
have  me  fight,  because  you  know  I  should  be  killed. 
You  are  afraid  to  see  my  blood  run,  because  it  would 
dye  you  red  with  guilt  for  keeping  me  as  ignorant  as 
the  miserable  living  bait  at  the  mouth  of  the  trap. 
{Picking  up  the  cartridges.)  Only  two! 
MOTHER 
What  are  you  doing  ? 

SON 
{Loading  the  gun.)     Preparing,  as  well  as  I  can, 
for  the  General's  next  visit. 

MOTHER 
He  will  not  come  again;  there  is  nothing  more  to 
be  had. 

SON 
The  house  and  garden. 

MOTHER 
But  this  is  all  we  have.    If  this  is  taken,  we  have 
nowhere  to  go.     He  is  reasonable  enough  to  know 
that  we  must  live  somewhere. 
SON 
Yes;  he  is  very  reasonable.     He  reasons  that  as 
long  as  he  is  stronger  than  we,  he  can  take  from  us 
everything — to  the  very  last. 

MOTHER 
It  is  better  to  die  than  to  be  a  homeless  beggar. 

SON 
That  is  what  we  shall  do — I  first  and  you  after- 
wards. He  will  return.  At  the  eleventh  hour,  you 
will  hand  me  this  rusty  gun  and  bid  me  go  out  to 
fight  for  our  home — I,  ignorant,  helpless  child, 
against  the  General.  There  will  be  nothing  else  to 
do. 


48  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

MOTHER 

{In  exaltation.)  No!  That  can  never  come  to 
pass.  You  have  forgotten  our  birthright.  We  w^ere 
born  under  the  Eagle — the  Eagle  of  Liberty!  We 
come  from  the  strongest  of  the  earth,  and  all  man- 
kind respect  us.  He  vv^ill  not  spill  your  blood  or  rob 
our  treasure  or  violate  our  home,  because  he  will  not 
dare — ^v^^ith  the  Eagle  guarding  us.  It  is  tradition — 
religion!  We  are  above  such  devastation! 
SON 
{After  a  pause.)     Perhaps!   I  am  tired. 

MOTHER 
{Smiling.)     And  hungry.    The  supper  is  all  cold. 
I'll  v^^arm  it  again.    Your  favorite  supper,  too. 
SON 
Somehow,  I  am  not  hungry. 

MOTHER 
Dh,  come !  Try  a  cup  of  coffee  first,  then  the  rest 
will  be  hot.     {Brings  him  coffee.)     Isn't  that  good? 
SON 
{After  tasting  it.)     Yes;  mother.     {With  a  shiv- 
er.) I  am  cold. 

MOTHER 
We'll  put  on  more  wood.    There !  A  roaring  fire ! 
And  here's  the  supper  steaming  hot.      {She  brings 
supper  to  him.) 

SON 
It  does  smell  good. 

MOTHER 
I  thought  so. 

SON 
{Eating.)     I'm  hungry  after  all.    I've  been  work- 
ing on  the  new  ditch  all  day. 

{MOTHER  goes  to  the  stove,  smiling.   A  knock 


YELLOW  YIELDING  49 

at  the  door.  MOTHER  listens  with  fear  in  her  face. 
SON  does  not  hear  but  continues  eating  and  talk- 
ing.) 

SON 
It's  the  ditch  I'm  building  across  the  barren  part 
of  the  garden  to  bring  the  water  down. 
MOTHER 
Yes;   I  understand.      {She  goes  to   the  window , 
right,  and  looks  out.    The  bare  trees  have  been  swal- 
lowed up  in  darkness.) 

SON 
I  want  to  make  that  part  of  the  garden  blossom 
like  a  paradise. 

MOTHER 
{Who  has  turned  away  from  the  window  with  a 
ghastly  face.)     Yes.     {She  slowly  draws  the  curtains 
and  goes  to  the  window,  left.) 
SON 
It  will  be  beautiful !  Fruit-trees  in  rows  along  the 
ditch  and  flowers  back  of  them.    Do  you  think  flow- 
ers are  silly? 

MOTHER 
{At  window,  left.)  No. 

SON 

One  must    have    some    beauty.       {MOTHER 
draws  the  curtains,  left.) 

MOTHER 
{Turning  from  the  window.)  What  kind  of  flow- 
ers? 

SON 
Oh,  poppies  and  roses  and — all  the  bright  ones. 
{She  comes  to  the  center  of  the  room  and  stands 
there,  her  eyes  fixed  on  her  son.) 


50  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

SON 

It  will  be  like  a  picture.  I  can  imagine  it  now. 
The  blue  water,  the  ripe  fruit  and  the  bright  flowers, 
all  under  the  sunshine.  What  do  you  think,  mother  ? 
Won't  it  be  beautiful  ? 

( There  is  a  silence.     The  SON  turns  in  surprise 
and  looks  into  his  mother  s  eyes.) 
MOTHER 
Mother!     What—? 

{She  points  to  the  window,  her  eyes  following  her 
hand. )  ' 

SON 
What  are  you  looking  at  ? 

MOTHER 
The  curtains  are  drawn. 

SON 
What  do  you  see? 

MOTHER 
Nothing — it  is  night. 

( The  knock  resounds  on  the  door.  The  SON  rises 
slowly.  Silently,  the  MOTHER  takes  the  gun  and 
puts  it  into  his  hands.) 

CURTAIN 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES' 

Characters  : 

The  Prominent  Citizen. 

His  Servant. 

The  Generates  Interpreter. 
Place : 

A  seaport  town. 
Time: 

In  the  hands  of  the  Fates. 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES" 

Scene:  The  comfortable  library  of  a  bachelors 
apartment^  on  the  top  floor  of  a  select  hotel.  Doors 
right  and  left.  Windows  at  back.  View  from  the 
windows  of  roofs  and  chimneys.  It  is  very  early 
morning. 

At  Rise:  The  room  is  dark  and  deserted. 

{The  CITIZEN  unlocks  the  door,  right,  and  en- 
ters.  He  is  in  evening  dress.) 

CITIZEN 

Where's  the  light?  What's  the  meaning  of  this? 
{Calling.)  Marks!  I  say,  Marks!  {In  disgust.) 
Asleep,  I  suppose.  He's  getting  worse  every  day, 
that  fellow.  {Stumbles  about,  groping  for  the 
switch.)  Where  in — ^There!  {He  finds  switch  and 
turns  on  the  light.  Grumbles.)  Got  sleepy  and  too 
stupid  to  remember  that  I  was  out.  Then  he  turns 
out  the  light  and  goes  to  bed.  We'll  see  about  it. 
{Opening  door,  left,  and  calling.)  Marks!  Marks! 
{Closes  door.  An  idea  comes  to  him.)  Or  he  went 
out  on  a  spree,  thinking  to  get  back  before  I  did. 
Probably  been  doing  it  right  along.  I'll  cashier 
him,  that's  all.  {Eye  falling  on  the  clock.)  Fo — It 
is  four  o'clock!  I  thought  we  were  almighty  slow 
coming  up-town.  Why  the  devil  should  there  be  a 
traffic  jam  at  this  hour  of  the  night  and  morning? 
Four  o'clock!  He  must  be  in.  {Calling  through 
door.)  Marks!  {Turning.)  No!  {Silly.)  Ah,  I 
see!  It  was  so  late,  he  thought  I  was  staying  out  for 
the  night  and  saw  his  chance.  He'll  have  a  surprise 
53 


54  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

in  the  morning.  (He  takes  off  his  coat.  Footsteps 
are  heard  outside  door,  right.  He  listens.)  Marks! 
Now  we  shall  see!    (He  switches  off  the  light.) 

{The  door,  right,  opens  and  the  SERVANT  en- 
ters, panting.  He  closes  the  door  after  him,  leans 
against  it  for  an  instant,  then  advances  across  the 
room,  his  breath  coming  in  a  sob.) 

(The  CITIZEN  switches  on  the  light.) 

SERVANT 
My  God !     {He  crouches  down  as  though  to  avoid 
a  blow.) 

CITIZEN 
Well,  Marks! 

SERVANT 
Oh,  it's  you,  sir. 

CITIZEN 
I  didn't  stay  out  all  night  as  you  expected. 

SERVANT 
No,  sir. 

CITIZEN 
{Angrily.)     What  do  you  mean  by  coming  in  the 
front  door? 

SERVANT 
{Hopelessly.)     I  didn't  think  it  mattered  now. 

CITIZEN 
Your  service  is  over.     Leave  to-morrow,  to-day, 
as  soon  as  it  is  light. 

SERVANT 
Yes,  sir. 

CITIZEN 
Leave  at  once! 

SERVANT 
Yes,  sir.    This  is  really  terrible. 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      55 

CITIZEN 

I'm  glad  you  appreciate  the  situation. 

SERVANT 
What  are  you  going  to  do? 

CITIZEN 
(Staring  at  him  in  amazement.)  What  am  I  going 
to  do? 

SERVANT 
They  will  take  everything.  You  wouldn't  want  to 
stay  around  after  that,  would  you  ? 
CITIZEN 
After  what?  What  are  you  talking  about? 

SERVANT 
After  they  take  possess — My  God !  don't  you  know 
what  has  happened? 

CITIZEN 
You've  gone  crazy! 

SERVANT 
( Wildly. )  We're  invaded !  The  enemy  has  come ! 
They've  taken  the  city  and  the  harbor  and  all  the 
roads.  They  keep  pouring  in,  hundreds  of  them.  I 
saw  them!  There  is  nothing  to  be  done.  We're  in- 
vaded ! 

CITIZEN 
{Aside.)     Better  get  a  doctor.     {He  goes  to  the 
telephone.) 

SERVANT 
You  can't  get  a  connection ;  there  is  no  one  in  the 
office. 

CITIZEN 
{At  telephone.)     Hello!  Hello! 

SERVANT 
They've  all  gone. 


56  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

CITIZEN       , 
Queer!  {He  leaves  telephone  and  puts  on  coat.) 

SERVANT 
Don't  go  out.   What  good  will  it  do?    They  are 
everywhere. 

CITIZEN 
Sh!  It's  all  right,  Marks.     I'm  going  to  get  a 
doctor. 

SERVANT 
You  won't  believe  me.    I'm  not  crazy;  it's  the 
truth.    {Going  to  the  window.)     Come!     {At  win- 
dow. )  See !  There  is  not  a  taxi  in  the  line ;  they  have 
taken  them  all. 

CITIZEN 
{Looking  out.)    The  traffic  jam! 

SERVANT 
You  saw  it?  Their  wagon-train. 

CITIZEN 
{Incredulous.)     Nobody  seemed  to  notice  it. 

SERVANT 
They  are  so  quiet,  so  orderly,  so  natural.    Nobody 
realized.     Now  they  are  in  possession. 
CITIZEN 
Who  are  they? 

SERVANT 
The  enemy!   They  have  really  come. 

CITIZEN 
{With  an  incredulous  laugh.)  It  isn't  so!  It  can't 
be !  Our  own  troops  are  having  special  manoeuvres. 
The  War  Department  has  been  talking  about  that 
sort  of  thing  lately.  They're  our  own  men  demon- 
strating their  efficiency 

SERVANT 
I  saw  them;  they  are  not  our  own  men. 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      57 

CITIZEN 

Perhaps  it's  a  little  uprising — foreign  laborers  or 
something.    The  police  will  settle  it  in  the  morning. 
SERVANT 

They  are  soldiers,  soldiers  of  the  enemy. 
CITIZEN 

Then  we  shall  whip  them  and  send  them  home. 
It  can't  be  anything  in  force  or  we'd  have  heard 
something  about  it.  It  may  be  an  unauthorized  at- 
tempt on  the  part  of  a  warship  commander  to  get 
even  with  us  for  some  fancied  insult.  He'll  be  in 
as  much  trouble  from  his  own  country  as  from  ours. 
SERVANT 

Thousands  of  men! — I  saw  them — and  horses! 
Guns  and  wagons!    They  are  coming  now! 

(//  has  grown  light  enough  outside  so  that  the 
chimneys  are  visible.  Among  them,  on  a  tall  staff, 
hangs  the  Flag.) 

CITIZEN 

{Leaning  out.)    Yes,  yes !  I  see !   How  many!  Yes 
— yes,  they  are  the  enemy.     What  does  it  mean? 
Look  at  the  men  and  horses  and  guns!   How  many! 
SERVANT 

They  are  driving  the  people  before  them! 
CITIZEN 

{Furiously.)  This  is  too  much!  But  I'm  glad 
it's  happened.  We  have  stood  enough  from  them  and 
all  the  others,  too.  It's  time  we  gave  them  a  les- 
son. By  Heaven,  they  ought  to  be  shot,  every  one 
of  them!  {Shaking  his  fist.)  Wait  till  Uncle  Sam's 
army  gets  you !  Just  wait ! 

{A  knock  at  the  door.  The  SERVANT  opens 
it  and  goes  out.) 


58  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

CITIZEN 

The  people  running  before  them!    Our  people! 
Running  before  them  I  My  God! 
SERVANT 
{Re-entering. )     We  must  get  out  of  here  at  once. 
The  General  wants  this  apartment  for  an  observa- 
tion station. 

CITIZEN 
Does  he  indeed! 

SERVANT 
It's  the  view  of  the  harbor.    Sir,  we'd  better  go. 

CITIZEN 
Go?  Go!  Do  you  think  I'd  go?  Do  you  think  I'd 
leave  my  own  place  because  that  murderer,  who 
commands  those  rats  orders  it?  Do  you  think  I'd 
do  anything  he  told  me  to  do?  Oh — ho!  Let  him 
try  to  make  me! 

SERVANT 
Everybody  else  has  left  the  hotel. 

CITIZEN 
Then — damn  them ! — there's  one  that  won't  go. 
{Knock  at  the  door  is  repeated.) 

SERVANT 
{Nervously.)     What  shall  I  say?   He's  trying  to 
be  polite. 

CITIZEN 
Send  the  General  to  me,  that's  all.     {He  takes  a 
revolver  from  the  table  drawer.) 
SERVANT 
{Frightened.)     Oh,  no  sir! 

CITIZEN 
I  want  to  talk  to  him. 

SERVANT 
He  doesn't  speak  English. 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      59 

CITIZEN 

Get  someone  that  does.     I'll  talk  to  any  one  of 
them.     Haven't  much  choice  among  rats. 

{The  INTERPRETER  enters  quickly.  He  is  a 
little  man  in  uniform.    The  SERVANT  gasps.) 
CITIZEN 
{Covering   INTERPRETER    with     revolver.) 
Stop !  Who  are  you  ? 

INTERPRETER 
{Calmly.)     The  General's  Interpreter. 

SERVANT 
{Timidly.)      Hadn't  we  better  stand   together, 
sir? 

CITIZEN 

Stand  where  you  please!    I'll  manage  this  myself. 

{As  INTERPRETER  advances.)  Stop!  or  I  shoot. 

INTERPRETER 

Shoot,  if  you  like ;  you  will  be  shot  afterwards. 

CITIZEN 
I  might  do  something  else  first. 

INTERPRETER 
Escape?  You  might  jump  out  the  window.  There 
are  soldiers  at  both  entrances.     {CITIZEN  lowers 
his  revolver.)     Better  give  it  to  me. 

{CITIZEN  looks  at  him,  then  puts  the  revolver 
on  the  table.    INTERPRETER  pockets  it.) 
CITIZEN 
Now  we  can  talk. 

INTERPRETER 
ril  give  you  five  minutes — till  the  General  arrives. 

CITIZEN 
The  General !   What  are  you  people  trying  to  do 
anyway?  Are  you  crazy?  This  is  the  United  States, 
and  we  are  living  in  the  twentieth  century.    What 


6o  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

do  you  mean  by  landing  an  armed  force  on  our  soil 
and  marching  an  army  through  our  city  and  ordering 
me  to  get  out  of  my  home?  What  in  the  name  of 
Heaven  do  you  mean  ? 

INTERPRETER 
Our  meaning  should  be  easily  comprehended. 

CITIZEN 
But  you've  broken  the  law,  violated  our — our  in- 
tegrity, invaded  our  land.    Don't  you  knovs^  that  you 
vsrill  be  punished? 

INTERPRETER 
We  are  not  anticipating  any  such  thing. 

CITIZEN 
But  you  will  be.  Our  army,  the  Army  of  the 
United  States,  will  be  rushed  out.  You  will  be  sur- 
rounded and  probably  annihilated.  You've  gone  too 
far  to  make  excuses.  Why,  I  expect  the  army  will 
be  here  in — in  a  very  short  time. 

INTERPRETER 
We  are  prepared  for  that. 

CITIZEN 
You  mean  to  fight? 

INTERPRETER 
Certainly. 

CITIZEN 
You  fool!  What  do  you  expect  to  gain? 

INTERPRETER 
What  we  have  come  for. 

CITIZEN 
That  must  be  a  good  beating ;  it's  what  you'll  get. 
How  did  you  get  in  here  anyway?    The  harbor  is 
mined. 

INTERPRETER 
We  did  not  come  by  the  harbor. 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      6i 

CITIZEN 

So  much  the  worse  for  you.  You'll  wish  you  hadn't 
come  at  all,  when  the  army  arrives. 
INTERPRETER 
When  It  arrives. 

CITIZEN 
Yes. 

INTERPRETER 
How  soon  do  you  think  that  will  be? 

CITIZEN 
As  soon  as  It  hears  of  your  craziness. 

INTERPRETER 
We  have  cut  all  the  communications  with  the  rest 
of  the  country. 

CITIZEN 
News  will  get  through  just  the  same — a  day  of 
two  late  perhaps.     I  don't  begrudge  you  two  days 
of  grace  when  I  think  of  what's  coming  to  you. 
INTERPRETER 
In  the  meantime,  we  take  possession  of  all  the 
mountain  passes  and  fortify  them. 
CITIZEN 
Lots  of  good  that  will  do  you. 

INTERPRETER 
It  will  easily  keep  your  army  at  bay  for  a  long 
time, — your  little  army! 

CITIZEN 
What  about  the  army  on  this  side  of  the  moun- 
tains ? 

INTERPRETER 
Here? 

CITIZEN 
(Enjoying  his  surprise.)    At  your  back!  The  mili- 
tia! 


62  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

INTERPRETER 

Oh!   (Hiding  a  smile.)     In  this  state  you  have 
— several  hundred. 

CITIZEN 
Yes,  thank  goodness !  At  this  very  minute  they  are 
in  the  hills,  preparing  to  attack  you  in  the  rear. 
INTERPRETER 
Yes;  they  are  probably  in  the  hills. 

CITIZEN 
Just  vs^ait!    You  haven't  met  the  good  fighting 
American  yet. 

INTERPRETER 

We  are  not  really  afraid.    You  see,  it  occurred  to 

us  to  seize  all  their  equipment  in  the  arsenals  and 

armories  first.     So  they  are  quite  as  helpless  as  you. 

CITIZEN 

No  guns !  No  ammunition ! 

INTERPRETER 
No.    By  this  time  even  the  revolvers  have  been 
collected. 

CITIZEN 
{Quickly.)     I'll  buy  mine  back. 
INTERPRETER 
Impossible. 

CITIZEN 
{Off ering  money.)     Here!  A  hundred  dollars ! 

INTERPRETER 
{Annoyed.)     No,  no. 

CITIZEN 
Two  hundred ! 

INTERPRETER 
Impossible. 

CITIZEN 
What  do  you  want  anyway? 


"BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      63 

INTERPRETER 

Thank  you,  we  shall  take  what  we  want. 
CITIZEN 

What  is  it? 

INTERPRETER 

That  depends.    We  already  hold  the  entire  coast 
back  to  the  mountains. 

CITIZEN 
The  entire  coast! 

INTERPRETER 
Yes.     We  have  done  everjrwhere  what  we  have 
done  here. 

CITIZEN 

Just  the  same  ? 

INTERPRETER 

Just  the  same. 

CITIZEN 
You  have  all  the  passes? 

INTERPRETER 
Every  one. 

CITIZEN 

You  have  disarmed  all  the  militia? 

INTERPRETER 
We  have  disarmed  everyone. 
CITIZEN 
Then  there's  nothing  to  do  but  wait.     I  can  wait 
to  see  you  scoundrels  eat  dirt. 

INTERPRETER 
Your  wait  will  be  a  long  one.     Think  of  your 
miserable   little   army,    gathering   itself   slowly   to- 
gether from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth.     By  the 
time  it  has  found  itself,  we  are  securely  fortified  in 


64  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

our  position — this  rich,  fertile  country,  guarded 
toward  the  sea  by  our  fleet,  on  land  by  that  great 
mountain  chain.  You  have  neither  guns  nor  am- 
munition. Both  must  be  secured.  More  delay.  We 
have  the  people  thoroughly  subjugated  and  are  reap- 
ing our  first  harvest. 

CITIZEN 
You  have  forgotten  the  fleet. 

INTERPRETER 
Oh,  no;  we  have  one,  too — only  it  is  larger  than 
yours.     (As  before.)     Now  your  army  is  ready.     It 
inarches  to  the  passes — one  hundred  thousand  strong, 
perhaps — to  hurl  itself  again  and  again,  vainly,  dis- 
astrously against  that  mighty  wall  of  rock  and  those 
passes  backed  by  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our  men. 
The  time  will  pass  very  slowly. 
CITIZEN 
(Bitteriy.)     If  we  had  been  ready  for  you,  you 
would  never  have  dared. 

INTERPRETER 
But  you  were  not  ready. 

CITIZEN 
No. 

SERVANT 

(At  the  window.)  The  flag!  They  are  going  to 
take  it  down! 

CITIZEN 

(Rushing  to  the  window.)  Where?  Ah!  (Wild- 
ly.) They  mustn't  do  it!  They  can't  (Turning  to 
the  INTERPRETER.)  Tell  them !  Quick !  before 
it  is  too  late.  This  is  my  country  still — ^your  being 
here   doesn't    make   any    difference, — it   is   still   my 


'BOMBAST  AND  PLATITUDES"      65 

country,  just  the  same  as  yesterday.  Tell  them  not 
to  take  the  flag  away.  That  is  the  Eagle !  It  has  al- 
ways been  there,  ever  since  we  started — up  there — 
above  us.  It's  got  to  stay  there!  can't  you  see?  It 
belongs  there  always,  always,  from  the  beginning.  If 
the  Eagle  goes  down — ^Ah!  {He  rushes  to  the  win- 
dow and  tears  it  open.) 

INTERPRETER 

{Seizing  him.)  Don't  make  a  fool  of  yourself. 
That  flag  accomplishes  nothing.  We  are  here  any- 
way. It  is  only  a  symbol  for  the  world  to  see.  While 
it  floats  there,  the  world  sees  that  the  land  is  yours, 
the  city,  the  mountains  and  the  harbor;  when  it  falls 
—  {The  Flag  drops  out  of  sight.)  Ah!  Now  it  is 
all  ours. 

{The  CITIZEN  covers  his  face  with  his  hands. 
Sound  of  footsteps  outside,  right.) 
INTERPRETER 

{In  a  harsh  voice.)  You  must  get  out  of  here 
at  once;  the  General  has  come. 

{To  CITIZEN.)  Come,  sir.  {They  start 
toward  door,  right.) 

INTERPRETER 

No! — the  back  way.     Quick!     {They  go  toward 
door,  left.  At  the  door  the  CITIZEN  turns. 
CITIZEN 

{ To  INTERPRETER.)    Wait!  The  soldiers  in 
the  fort.     Our  regulars  in  the  fort  on  the  harbor. 
What  has  become  of  them  ?  They  were  armed. 
INTERPRETER 

Yes.  There  were  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  of 
them.  It  was  night — very  dark — and  they  did  not 
expect  us.    We — It  was  all  over  very  quickly. 


66  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

(The  CITIZEN  and  his  SERVANT  go  out 
door,  left.  The  INTERPRETER  opens  the  door 
right,  and  stands  at  salute.  No  one  has  thought  of 
turning  off  the  light.  It  burns  pale  yellow  against  a 
background  of  day.) 

CURTAIN 


EPILOGUE 


EPILOGUE 

Scene:  The  STATESMAN'S  office  as  in  pro- 
logue. 

At  Rise:  The  STATESMAN  and  the  CITI- 
ZEN are  still  in  their  chairs.  They  have  talked  a 
long  time. 

STATESMAN 

(Rising.)     Now  it  is  all  clear? 

CITIZEN 
(Rising.)   Quite  clear.     I  came  to  be  convinced 
that  I  was  wrong  to  worry  over  our  weak  position. 
Instead  you  have  shown  me  how  right  I  am.    And 
you  are  not  at  fault  at  all. 

STATESMAN 
My  dear  sir,  I  can  recommend  and  recommend, 
but  my  power  ends  there.    The  people  are  all-power- 
ful.    What  they  desire,  they  get.     If  they  wish  to 
safe-guard  themselves,  they  can  do  so,  and  they  only. 
CITIZEN 
They  must  be  made  to  do  so.    Can  you  suggest  a 
way? 

STATESMAN 
You  are  willing  to  do  all  you  can? 

CITIZEN 
I  will  do  anything. 

STATESMAN 
Well,  then— 

CITIZEN 
There  i?  a  way. 

69 


70  UNDER  THE  EAGLE 

STATESMAN 

There  is  always  a  way.    You  remember  the  name 
you  gave  me,  when  you  came  in? 

CITIZEN 
I  called  myself  the  thinking  citizen,  didn*t  I  ? 

STATESMAN 
If  you  wish  to  help,  make  of  every  man  you  meet 
a  Thinking  Citizen. 

CURTAIN 


^£s  1. 


re  3/962 


372220 


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